Homeward Bound

Location: Tokyo, Japan → Paris, France → Los Alcázares, Spain

Summary: My journey came full circle as I left Tokyo and flew home after an unforgettable tour of Japan. Memories of temples, castles, gardens, and city lights accompanied me on the flight back, a moment to reflect on the experiences and people I met along the way.

Leaving Tokyo

Today I left Tokyo and began my journey home. After waking up, I packed my case and went down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. The buffet hall was enormous, with around 800 seats, but thankfully, there were designated tables for disabled guests, so I didn’t have to wait long.

Once I’d eaten, I returned to my room, collected my case and checked out. I still had a couple of hours before my airport transfer, so I found a chair in the hotel lobby and read my Kindle. It wasn’t the most comfortable place to wait, and with people constantly coming and going, it felt like a long morning.

When it was time to leave, I waited outside the hotel entrance. A minibus soon arrived to collect me and two other passengers. The driver dropped them off first, then took me to the correct terminal. I joined the check‑in queue but was quickly pulled aside and taken through first‑class check‑in because of my disability. A wheelchair was called to take me to the gate.

On the way, the staff member pushing the chair made a detour so I could exchange my remaining yen for euros. She then took me to the gate and left me there. I read my Kindle until I was ushered forward for early boarding.

Flight to Paris

Once on board, I settled in for the long flight to Paris. I watched films, read, and ate when food was served. The flight passed quickly. After landing, I waited for another wheelchair and was taken to a bus that transferred me to a waiting room. It was freezing inside, and the staff were far less friendly than those in Japan.

I began to worry about my connection, but eventually I was put back on a bus and taken to another terminal. The girl pushing the chair realised we were running late and sprinted through the crowds, shouting for people to move. As we approached the gate, I heard my name being called for final boarding. She collided with several people who didn’t move quickly enough, but we made it just before the doors closed.

Flights to Madrid & Alicante

The flight to Madrid was short, and once I landed, it didn’t take long to collect my case. I made my way to another gate and waited for the final flight to Alicante. After another short journey, I walked out of arrivals. I was delighted to see my friend June waiting for me. She drove me back to my apartment in Los Alcázares, and it felt good to be home.

Japan Holiday Summary

Japan was everything I hoped it would be: beautiful, fascinating and full of kind, welcoming people. The holiday company, however, was disappointing. They acted more like a booking agency than a tour operator, and I ended up on three different coaches, each with a different group. I had seven guides in total and spent most of the trip with Spanish‑speaking travellers from Spain, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela. A few English speakers appeared along the way, but they left at different points. I won’t be using LogiTravel again.

Japan itself was wonderful. The food was excellent, and I was surprised by how affordable everything was. I’d been warned that Japan was expensive, but I found prices comparable to those in Spain and far better than in England. I would encourage anyone to visit, but go when you’re fit. There is a lot of walking, many steps, and very few disabled paths or entrances.

Visiting Hiroshima was the main reason I wanted to go, but I loved everything I saw. And strangely, because of the flight routes, I ended up travelling all the way around the world: Spain → France → Japan on the way out, and Japan → France → Spain on the way back. Phileas Fogg did it in 80 days; I did it in 12.

I caught a cold on the return journey and needed a few weeks to recover. But once I felt better, I immediately started thinking about my next adventure. I had only been home eight days when I booked my next trip. In 2025, I’ll be heading to  India on an escorted tour with JustYou.